


Thin Walls

by TheGrumpyStargazer



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Neighbors, No Bending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-16
Updated: 2015-09-24
Packaged: 2018-04-21 03:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4813403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGrumpyStargazer/pseuds/TheGrumpyStargazer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko has a new neighbor who doesn't realize that the walls in their apartment building are very thin. When they finally meet, the attraction is instantaneous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> While this isn't my first try at fanfiction, this is my first shot at ATLA and modern AU. I also don't have a beta so sorry if there's some spelling off in case I miss it. This was just some silly little one shot I thought of when I first moved to my new apartment building though thankfully the walls are not as thin as they are for these two.

His neighbor had moved in last week and excluding the noises from move in and a few bangs from the TV, they had been decent neighbors. Living in apartment buildings could be a toss-up with what kind of people will move in.

But that was the last 7 days. And now she had been singing sad love songs all day. The weather had been good so they both had their windows open allowing the flow of sound to cross apartments easily. Plus the walls didn’t muffle out every noise.

Zuko had to admit that she had a good voice but it’s been 2 hours solid of the pain and heartache. He had to wonder what she had left behind to make her feel this melancholy. There was a break in the concert as he assumed she was either done for the night or was figuring out what album was left in this genre that she owned. She’d made it through quite a few artists.

Surprisingly, the soundtrack to Across the Universe movie started. She skipped the fast beats and rough songs before she settled with Hey Jude. Zuko had to pause his Netflix to listen to her harmonizing with the audio.

 _She's good_ , he couldn't help but think. _Maybe she sings as her profession._ But he ignored it as she finished the song and he continued watching some action anime.

The album was on the last song quick with all the skips but it surprised him none the less when her voice, suddenly close to the window where he was seated, sang, “Something in the way she moves, attracts me like no other lover.” Followed by a deep sigh.

He heard her shut the window.

And just like that, her concert was over. Though he could still hear the song and muffled singing, it wasn’t the same.

He had to admit that he had got used to the background music even if it was a little depressing to hear sad songs for that long. He couldn't imagine what _she_ was feeling like.

That was the catch. Zuko couldn't understand why he was caring so much for his new neighbor. It'd be different if he'd meet her a few times to gather a rapport. He didn't know if she was missing her significant other or if there was a recent breakup. She could have moved from another country and was homesick.

But he did know one thing. He was going to meet her somehow – but not in a creepy way! It had to be in a setting where he didn't give off a weird stalky vibe. Like the rooftop. Everyone hung out up there so he made plans to be on the rooftop more often, just in case he could get a glimpse of his neighbor with the lovely voice.

\----

It had been another week of missed encounters. Zuko would hang out on the rooftop for a couple hours before heading down to work on dinner. Katara would take the stairs up after eating an early dinner and eat her dessert with a view of the city. One would leave the mailbox area just as the other walked in the other door. Another time Zuko was in the coffee shop and Katara was in the deli next door.

But it was an accident one night that allowed Katara to realize how thin the walls were. Both neighbors were laying down in their respective beds, separated only by a thin wall that their bedrooms shared. Katara was reading on her phone and Zuko was playing a game on his tablet.

He was seated upright so when the sneeze ran through him it shook his body forward forcefully and projected the noise throughout the room. And into the next.

“Bless you,” came a female voice through the wall.

Zuko eyed the wall. _Did she…did she just say “bless you”?_

Not wanting to be rude, Zuko replied, “Thank you,” still staring at the wall.

Now it was Katara’s turn to eye the wall.

She had responded to the sneeze unconsciously and only just realized that she had in fact talked to her neighbor on the other side of a wall. A wall thin enough to talk through. _Shit, what else has he been able to hear?!_

Katara opened her mouth a few times, feeling the need to talk to her neighbor but unsure what to say. By the time she thought about telling him her name and asking his, it was minutes later and the moment had passed. So she resigned to the silence.

Zuko had sat, game paused, for a few minutes, waiting to see what she would do. Had he scared her? Well she had to find out how thin the walls were sooner or later. He gave up but turned the game volume down in case she ever responded. But she didn’t.

Sleep wasn’t easy for Katara as she focused on all kinds of noises that she had made the last few weeks. Could he hear every movie and show she watched? What about her singing? She was beyond embarrassed.

\----

Katara actively avoided her neighbor after the Sneeze Event of Last Tuesday Night. If she planned on going to the rooftop but heard his door open and shut, she changed her mind just in case he had the same idea. If she took the elevator she would press the “close door” button immediately when she heard a door open in the hallway.

She was still feeling embarrassed. She never sang for people. Not her friends in college or her family during the holidays. She also felt silly for saying “bless you” to a person that wasn’t in the room.

She tried to forget about the incident and almost had succeed when her neighbor decided to watch a loud action movie one evening. It wasn’t too late on the Friday night so she wasn’t trying to sleep but every now and then she’d hear explosions and machine guns. Action movies not being her movie genre of choice she couldn’t tell what he was watching.

But it made her think of him. And he obviously knew how thin the walls were so why did he have his movie so loud? Was he doing this on purpose?

She couldn’t tell and avoided further thoughts by making cookies for the building’s end of summer rooftop party that was tomorrow. She opened her window after she put in the first tray of cookies so her flat wasn’t too hot with the oven on.

The smell of fresh baked cookies wafted over to Zuko as he sat on the couch by his window. He couldn’t help but wonder what type they were. He could smell the chocolate but couldn’t figure anything else. It took a few minutes before he wondered if she was going to the rooftop party tomorrow and was planning on bringing the cookies.

This made Zuko excited. It would be the perfect setting. He could finally meet her and have a conversation with her. Though he’d probably leave it up to her if she wanted to bring up the sneeze. Zuko hardly focused on his movie before going to bed.

\----

Zuko walked up to the rooftop early so he was there the moment the party technically started, even though that was 4 pm on a Saturday so not many other residents were there yet. The leasing office staff was there and setting up the catered entrees that they were providing along with sodas and local brews. The residents were asked to bring desserts if they wanted to.

A bubbly staff member saw Zuko come through the stairway’s door and greeted him with an exaggerated wave, yelling his name, “Zuko! I’m so glad you made it here early!” She rushed over to him.

Zuko smiled, “Hey Ty Lee, what do you need?” Ty Lee was friends with his sister in college which was how he heard about this apartment building. It was nice knowing someone in the leasing office.

“Well you know how none of us office girls are tall. We forgot to bring up the step ladder. Can you string these plastic suns on the trellis?” Ty Lee handed him the string of bright yellow suns with stickered on smiling faces. They creeped him out. But he did what she wanted and started hanging them up while she fixed things and talked with other residents that had made it to the roof.

Zuko was finished a few minutes later and looked around to see who was there. The families with kids were off to a corner away from the hoodlums that were the 20 to 30 year olds. He smirked at their behavior and moved to the food line that had begun and grabbed a paper plate. His plate was half full by the time he made it to the dessert table but he was excited to see chocolate cookies in a container. He took two but looked around for any women that he hadn’t seen before. One of them had to be his neighbor.

There were no new faces so he grabbed a local brew and sat down at table for 8, allowing others to sit with him if they choose.

Ty Lee came at him from behind, “Zuko, have you meet your neighbor?” Zuko thanked the heavens for Ty Lee and her good nature because as he turned around in his chair he realized he didn’t have to keep looking for her. There she was.

Katara was dressed in a thin, ankle length navy skirt with a formfitting maroon tank top. Her hair was out of her face but was flowing down to the middle of her back. And her eyes, Zuko couldn’t look away from her ocean blue eyes.

Zuko looked just as striking according to Katara. Though he was still sitting, she could tell that he was wearing light jeans and the local sports team shirt. Katara was shocked to see the burn scar on his face but pushed through so as to not be rude. Her neighbor was more than a scar. She was interested in meeting him before she saw his face. Plus, he had a sexy smile.

“No I haven’t Ty Lee.” He stood up and towered over Katara by a good 6 inches. He stuck his hand out, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Zuko.”

Katara’s hand slipped into his for a quick shake, “Nice to meet you Zuko. My name is Katara.” She forgot about embarrassment, about the Sneeze Event of Last Tuesday, and about the singing. Right now, there was a sexy man who was making eyes and smiling at her as if he wanted to get to know her, _personally_.

“I need to check on something, be back quick!” Ty Lee’s voice popped their bubble and brought them back to reality.

“Have you grabbed a plate of snacks yet?” Zuko cautiously started the conversation back up, noticing her empty hands.

“No not yet. I was too busy meeting everyone Ty Lee dragged me to.” Katara awkwardly laughed and touched then end of a hair strand that hung over her shoulder.

“Well, um, if you want you could go grab something and bring it back to the table. I’ll save you a seat?” The confident Zuko was gone in place of nervous Zuko who stumbled over words.

But the offer was worth the wide smile that Katara sent his way. “Ya that’d be great. Just give me a sec and I’ll be back.” He nodded at her, watched her go to stand in line, and then sat back down so he wasn’t staring at her any more than he already was.

He skipped the hot snacks and went straight for her chocolate cookies. They were _damn_ good. He savored the it slowly and finished right before Katara had returned. She set her plate next to his and he noticed that she had one of her own cookies.

Not knowing where to start, Zuko blurted, “I love your cookies.”

Katara’s eyes widened in the sudden confession of love for her baked items. “How did you know that I made them? I didn’t put my name on the container or anything.”

Zuko panicked for a minute at what he reaction would be but he decided to be honest. “Well I had my window open and I smelt chocolate cookies being made. I don’t know why I instantly thought that you had made them but I did.”

Her smile let him knew he was safe – until he saw the mischievous glint in her eyes. “I didn’t need the window open to hear your movie yesterday. These walls are very thin in case you didn’t know.”

Zuko wondered which way he should take the conversation. Where was she going with this? He smirked back at her with false confidence, “No I had no idea whatsoever. Please enlighten me to all that you’ve heard.”

Ty Lee looked on at the pair as they leaned into each other throughout the party. Their conversation was constantly changing from loud laughter to searing looks with heated meanings. She didn’t plan this from the start but the longer she knew Katara the more she realized how they balanced each other out perfectly. Yup, she was excited to watch them grow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you liked it at all please give me some love and constructive criticism. You can subscribe to me if you want. I already have another AU plot in my head for Zutara though I want a good baseline before I start posting anything. Would you like to read more about these two dorks in the apartment building?


	2. Love in Apartment Towers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's a bit more of these two. The chapter didn't turn out as long as I would like but it still gives what I want.

 Zuko was sitting on his couch the day after the apartment rooftop party. He was focusing on his work as a game animator for tablet games. His specialty was in weapon designs and stats though he heled with other features as well. The open laptop had pages up containing medieval Mediterranean history as well as google docs open with a multiple chats occurring simultaneously. This is what Zuko got for signing up with a project where the creators were spread out through the country. But he enjoyed the work.

 

Suddenly he heard noises coming from next door. What was Katara up to?

 

“Die motherfucker, die!” Her scream had Zuko standing up and ignoring his laptop completely.

 

Could there be an intruder? But she wouldn’t kill someone, _would she_?

 

“Drown in this bitch!” It was like hearing a battle cry.

 

There was a quietness after her last exclamation. Zuko stared at the wall, practically begging for her to say something or there to be a noise that proved she was ok. He had enough of the silence and walked toward the wall.

 

“Um, Katara, everything ok?” He had to speak firmly so he was sure his voice carried clear enough for her to understand.

 

“Ya ya, I’m good. There was a spider. But it’s dead now.” She sounded proud in her victory.

 

Zuko was a little shocked at her theatrics, “A spider.”

 

“Ya it came at me out of nowhere but I always pack Raid wherever I go so it’s dead now.” For some reason, Zuko pictured Katara in her living room. Legs wide with hands on her hips and a can of Raid in one hand. Looking off in the distance.

 

“I see.” Zuko racked his brain trying to think of something else to say and quickly went with Raid as the topic of choice. “I bet your place smells like Raid pretty heavily. Maybe you should…leave your apartment?” Shit, where was he trying to go with this? He wanted her to hang out in _his_ place but that was way too forward for him. They had only officially met yesterday.

 

“Ya, I mean I could just open the window but the smell will linger. I might go out for some coffee.” She paused and Zuko held his breath. “Would you like to come with me? Getting you a coffee is the least I could do for you after disturbing your Sunday afternoon.”

 

“Oh it wasn’t, you didn’t,” Zuko quietly rambled. He rushed to reply, “Yes! Um, I mean I’d love to get coffee with you but you don’t need to get me coffee. I was more worried that someone had broken into your place.”

 

He heard her laugh. “No, sorry. Just an insect intruder. Let me grab my purse and I’ll meet you in the hallway.”

 

Zuko looked back at his computer. His co-creators were probably upset with him for suddenly leaving the chat. But everyone needs a break. “Ya that works, just give me a minute.” He rushed to the couch to catch up on what they were talking about. He was hardly missed but he wrote in a simple “getting coffee, brb” and rushed to the hallway.

 

Katara was just locking up her door when he popped out.

 

Zuko noticed that Katara was wearing jeans and a blue shirt that was cut off, showing her midriff. He hadn’t noticed before but she had really nice naturally tan skin. Before she thought he was creeper, he locked up his own door.

 

This allowed Katara to view Zuko undisturbed. He was tall and lean and had shaggy dark hair. His scarred side of his face was toward her so she was about to get a good look at the wrinkly skin. She was beyond curious about how he got the burn but that would have to be a conversation for a later day.

 

The pair walked to the elevator and went down in awkward silence, neither knowing what to say. They had talked easily yesterday at the party, but they had an almost endless supply of topics to go through then with the food and people milling about.

 

Zuko held the door open for her when they stepped out onto the sidewalk. It was now or the whole coffee experience could be ruined.

 

“Have you had a good day so far? I mean besides the whole spider thing and all,” Zuko asked as he walked next to her. He peaked at her from the side of his good eye.

 

She smiled at him. So he smiled back.

 

“Ya. It’s nice having a weekend off and sleep in. What have you been up to today?”

 

“Oh work, online meetings,” Zuko rushed to answer. He was more interested in knowing more about _her_ work. “You have the weekend off? So where do you work?”

 

“I work at the radio station in the mornings and evenings, it depends on my shift.” They had reached the coffee shop and Katara held open the door for him as they stepped into the fragrant aroma that is a coffee shop. Their conversation was put on pause as the placed their order and then stood at the end of the counter to wait for their drinks. “So where do you work?”

 

“I don’t really go _into_ work. I stay at home and design tablet games, like the ones you actually pay for,” he chuckles and is relieved when she joins him. “I was in a group chat with the other creators when you attacked the spider.”

 

“Oh I hope its ok that you left to have coffee with me.” Katara was now worried that she had cut into his time and possibly got him into trouble.

 

“Nah, don’t worry. We take breaks all the time and they were going off about stuff that didn’t pertain to me that much. I don’t mess with the plot. More of the small character details and stats. If you even play one of our games and find that the big boss is super hard to defeat it’s probably because of me. But believe me there’s a way to fight him.”

 

Katara wished she knew more about games because Zuko looked so excited talking about his work. “Well I’ll just have to play one of you games, you’ll have to tell me which one is the best for beginners because I know nothing about fighting games. Sokka, my brother, he probably has played one of you games before though.”

 

“You have a brother? Older or younger than you? Any other siblings?” Zuko couldn’t hold back his questions, he was that curious to know more about her.

 

“Older by a couple years. Nope, Sokka is it. Though I don’t know if I could handle another sibling. Sokka is…well let’s just say I’m glad he’s married to someone who can deal with his mind. He’s an engineer and gets these crazy ideas all the time. What about you? Any siblings?” Katara’s drink order was up so she grabbed the cup and turned back to Zuko, waiting for his reply and noticed his face was a little sad.

 

“Ya I have a younger sister. She’s…she doesn’t really talk to me much so I’m not sure what she’s up to.” Zuko was thankful that his coffee was ready and offered a distraction. “Should we go sit down now?” Katara nodded and went to a table for two by the front windows.

 

“It must stuck. Your sister not talking to you that is. I don’t think I could go more than a couple days without calling or texting my family.” Katara wanted to know more, as well as tell Zuko more about herself, but she didn’t want to cross any lines. Yesterday’s conversation was lighthearted and they never got to delve into deeper topics like work, family, politics, etc. Thankfully Zuko gave her a smile as he took a sip of his coffee. His good eye twinkled a bit behind the cup, making him look all adorable.

 

“It’s nice that you talk with your family often. Do you guys hang out much?”

 

“We did. Though that was when we all lived in the same city. You see, when I moved into our apartment, I wasn’t just moving houses. I was moving states. Sokka and my father live on the other side of the country so I won’t be able to see them often. We Skype though. I’m surprised you haven’t heard Sokka shouting through my computer.” Katara took a sip of her coffee and couldn’t help but close her eyes to savor the flavor. She might have even let out a small sigh. Her coffee shop back home didn’t make this good of coffee, must be the beans.

 

It took Zuko a few moments to speak, he was too focused on Katara’s face when she closed her eyes. _She is_ so _beautiful_ , he couldn’t help but think. “That stinks. Hopefully they can visit you soon.” He wondered if she missed them and was homesick which caused her to be sad the other day, when she sang moody songs for hours.

 

She opened her eyes to smile at him. “Yes, they’re planning on coming in a couple months. I’m really excited. Do your parents live nearby?”

 

“My father and I don’t get along but I think he’s still in this city. I don’t know about my mother. She left us when I was a preteen and hasn’t tried to get in contact with us since. Should could be here but I doubt it. She didn’t care for big cities.”

 

There was an awkward pause. Katara didn’t _want_ their conversation to become depressing but it was the way it looked like it was going.

 

Katara made a move and rested her fingers over Zuko’s hand lightly. “I know what it feels like to lose a mother. My mom died of cancer when I was still in grade school. You find a way to get by, but it’s never the same really.” Zuko flipped his hand so he could grasp her fingers and give them a quick squeeze.

 

“Well it’s not something I would have liked to have in common with you, but thank you for sharing that with me.” The pair gave each other small smiles, eyes locked. “How about something lighter?”

 

“Ya that’s probably best. How about…what’s your favorite thing to do here?” Katara was curious from a new resident standpoint as well as knowing what Zuko did in his time off.

 

“Well we get some big headliners come through so I try to go to a concert every other month or so. I have a couple guys that we go as a group with. Um, the beachfront is probably my favorite place to go though. Good food, friendly shops. Have you been there yet?” Maybe if he got the nerve he could ask her to walk there the next weekend.

 

“No but I’ve been meaning to. Suki, my sister in law, sent me an email of all the things she wants shipped to her from there. I didn’t realize it was that popular.”

 

“Oh ya! It’s great! I think you’d really like it. We should go sometime.” Katara wasn’t sure what made her happier. That he thought she might enjoy something he likes. Or that he wanted to go with her.

 

The coffee break ended after both drinks were finished and the pair headed back to their apartments. Zuko went back to his computer and was filled in on changes or updates had been made. Katara returned to the book she was reading, pre-spider incident. Both had smiles on their faces and new numbers in their phones.

 

After a couple of days, Katara texted Zuko for the name of what tablet game she should play.

 

He replied and asked her what radio station she worked at.

 

And so they both had new hobbies. But neither would admit to the other their new attraction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully that lived up to the first chapter and gave more depth to the couple. They aren't dating, yet. I have an idea for a third chapter but I'm not planning on working on it soon. Thanks for reading!


End file.
